Mix-up means your op is off

Sent away: Christine Hirst back at herhome in Elland with partner Barrie Griggs

Published:11:56Tuesday 15 March 2011

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a PENSIONER turned up for a hip replacement – only to be sent home due to an administrative mix-up.

Christine Hirst, 67, was given the appointment last September for Calderdale Royal Hospital.

She had prepared herself, been assessed, and the physiotherapy department had been to her home, adapting furniture to aid her recovery.

But after handing in her appointment notice at the hospital she was distressed to be told she had not been booked in for an operation and to go home.

Her partner, Barrie Griggs, 75, said she had been left deflated.

“We had planned our life since September for this operation being done on Tuesday,” he said.

“We cancelled a holiday to Blackpool and arranged for her daughter to be off work next week to help make sure she is OK and give us a hand.”

Mr Griggs refused to accept alternative dates in May and then April.

She has now been booked in next week but first needs to go back for tests she had done last week.

The couple, of Calder House, Elland, said many people in their age group would not have challenged staff and been inconvenienced further. “It is a big deal because we were set up for the date,” said Mr Griggs.

“It seems the only person who did not know was the surgeon and he gave us the date in the first place.”

Ms Hirst said she would now build herself up for next week but the experience had added to her worries.

“I thought this week was the start of the end of the chronic pain,” she said.

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust apologised for the mix-up.

Its spokesperson said: “There has been an error made on our part and we are sorry that this has happened.